August 6, 2002	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 26,1423

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COLOMBO, Aug 5: Sri Lanka raced to a comfortable eight-wicket victory in the second one-day international to clinch the series after dismissing Bangladesh for their lowest total of 76 here on Monday.

Young paceman Hasantha Fernando and spinner Upul Chandana wrought havoc as they shared six wickets after Bangladesh had elected to bat on a slow, turning pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground.

Sri Lanka knocked off the 77 runs required to wrap up the three-match series in just 15.4 overs, with opener Marvan Atapattu remaining unbeaten with 31 and Mahela Jayawardene with 27.

The hosts won the opening match by five wickets on Sunday.

Hasantha Fernando, 22, and leg-spinner Chandana scripted the Sri Lankan win in the 13th-shortest one-day international with disciplined spells.

The fast bowler took 3-12 in his second match and Chandana 3-2 as Bangladesh were shot out in 30.1 overs a day after posting their highest total of 226-8 against the hosts in the first one-dayer at the same venue.

This was Bangladesh’s worst batting display in 52 one-day internationals, the previous being 87 against Pakistan at Dhaka in June 2000.

Extras top-scored with 20 in the Bangladeshi innings, the 23rd time this has happened in the history of the shorter version of the game.

“Our batting was really disappointing. I think it’s just one of those things,” said Bangladeshi skipper Khaled Mashud.

“Our batsmen should apply themselves more, for Sri Lanka is a very good one-day side. I hope we do better in the third and final match on Wednesday.”

Mashud (15), Habibul Bashar (10) and Tushar Imran (10) were the only batsmen to reach double-figures in a woeful Bangladeshi performance.

Dilhara Fernando (2-21), Chaminda Vaas (1-9) and off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (1-19) were the other wicket-takers.

Muralitharan surpassed Australian leg-spin wizard Shane Warne to become the fourth-highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals with 279.

The star Sri Lankan spinner is now behind Pakistani pacemen Wasim Akram (463) and Waqar Younis (377) and Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble (295).

“All of our bowlers did well in this match,” said Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya.

“Dilhara Fernando and Chaminda Vaas impressed in their opening spells. This was what we expected from them. Hasantha, Chandana and Murali then chipped in. I hope they continue with their good performance.”

Bangladesh’s troubles began early on when Dilhara Fernando bagged two wickets and left-arm seamer Vaas one in lively opening spells to reduce the tourists to 27-3.

Vaas struck in his third over when he had Mohammad Ashraful caught pulling for four, while Dilhara dismissed Alok Kapali (five) and Al Sahariar (five) in his three overs.

The tourists never recovered from these blows and kept losing wickets at regular intervals.